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Tom Stanton
Thomas Robert "Tom" Stanton (born September 18, 1956) is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009. He previously served as a United States Senator from 1995 to 2001, a member of the New York State Senate from the 27th district from 1989 to 1995, and a member of the New York City Council from the 44th district from 1986 to 1989. Early life and early career Thomas Robert "Tom" Stanton was born on September 18, 1956 in Brooklyn, New York. He is the third son of Democratic public school teacher and education activist, Mary Reese and former Republican Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman, Rob Stanton. His parents divorced when he was a teenager after his often absent father’s affair came to light. His mother then married David James, an African American New York City Councilman since 1973 and fellow member of the Democratic Party. Tom became extremely close to his stepfather (who he referred to as his dad) and through him entered into the world of politics. Stanton received a Bachelor of Arts from New York University, majoring in metropolitan studies, a program in urban studies, and received a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. He is a 1976 Harry S. Truman Scholar and a former President of the Columbia University College Democrats. Tom began his political career when he served as deputy campaign manager to his stepfather’s unsuccessful 1981 campaign for Mayor of New York City. He briefly served as James’ chief of staff before resigning due to optics in the spring of 1982. From there, Stanton worked on private sector initiatives to finance affordable housing, and researched and wrote about the preservation of federally assisted housing as a visiting scholar at his alma mater, New York University for two years. After that at the age of 28, he was appointed by the President as the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Regional Administrator for the New York Regional Office. He resigned after only a year in order to seek his stepfather’s city council seat as he was retiring so he could make another (albeit this time successful) run for the mayor’s office in the 1985 election. Stanton won the 44th district overwhelming, begining a four year term. During his tenure on the city council he worked towards affordable housing for the poor and minorities, anti-discrimination measures, stricter environmental standards for the city, access to healthcare, lowering New York City's crime rate and increasing the size of the New York Police Department, and the revitalization of city infrastructure. He served one term, deciding to run for the 27th State Senate district in 1988 instead of for reelection. New York State Senate Stanton was successfully elected as a member of the New York State Senate from the 27th district in 1988, taking office on January 4, 1989. During his tenure he continued to fight for his most passionate cause, affordable housing and opposed the Republican-controlled Senate’s desire to reduce spending for low income housing in 1990. He opposed an effort the next year in which a bipartisan group of Republicans and upstate conservative Democrats attempted to cut spending for CUNY schools which they claimed were overfunded. During this time he participated along with his mother and other education activists in a protest against the cuts, arguing that the system’s four-year colleges offered a high quality, tuition-free education to the poor, the working class and the immigrants of New York City who met the grade requirements for matriculated status. Senator Stanton was responsible for a 1993 filibuster on a Republican tax proposal stating “While my Republican colleagues would like to argue that their tax package would reduce taxes for the middle class and dairy farmers upstate who are perceived to pay disproportionately more in taxes than their downstate neighbors. It would in reality cut their own taxes and those of their donors...downstate on Wall Street!” His plan worked with the bill being defeated by the entirety of the Democratic Caucus and a minority of upstate Republicans who were concerned with the optics of voting in favor. In 1994, he proposed a bill that would establish a program called NYCare for Kids, a low-cost health insurance program for children of uninsured, low-income families in the state who do not qualify for Medicaid. Stanton’s commitment to progressive causes over his career and ability to connect with a variety of voters put him on the radar of the New York State Democratic Committee to succeed longtime senior United States Senator from New York, Daniel G. Brennan who was not running for reelection in the 1994 United States Senate election. Category:Characters Category:Presidents of the United States